Reinforcement device of folding tent

ABSTRACT

A reinforcement device of tent poles to strengthen the two opposite branch frames that requires reinforcement of tent poles is disclosed. The device includes two connection sections and two connection rods, whereas each connection section is set up with two pivots perpendicular to or in wide angle to each other, and connects with tent poles and a head end of the connection rod respectively. And the two connection rod arranged between two pivots and linked together at end by a pivot with a position member which make the two connection rods lock tightly when stretch straight to possess reinforcing force. Furthermore, apply the reinforcement device on the two requiring reinforcement opposite branch frames of tent poles. The reinforce device can stretch straight and fold synchronously with the opening and folding of the tent poles to strengthen the solidity of the tent poles after being extended while with no influence on opening and folding of the tent poles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a reinforcement device of a foldingtent, especially refer to the function of reinforcing two oppositebranch frames of the tent poles and stretching straight as well asunfolding between the two branch frames in concurrent with the expandingand folding of the tent poles without any influence.

Current outdoor life popularizes the usage of folding tents whose framescan be extended quickly and supported by landing rods, and then coveredwith main tent and attached tent to shield from raining, sun burn, andwindy condition. Traditional folding tents show various kinds of design,such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,188, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,356,U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,533, U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,853, U.S. Pat. No.5,701,923, U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,572, U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,378, etc. Theshapes judging from the top view of the tent are categorized intorectangle type ‘Cross-shaped’ X-shaped, etc. However, the designation ofthese tents were mostly dedicated in its shape, size, or foldingstructure, etc, and mostly neglects the structure of tents solidity andsetup after extending. Therefore in practical use, the frame weakness israised or even influenced the opening and folding frame structure of thetruss bar and pole of tents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide areinforcement device of folding tents, which comprises two connectionsections and two connection rods; the two connection sections connectedwith the two opposite requiring reinforcement branch frames, whereaseach individual connection section contains two pivots perpendicular toor in wide angle (an obtuse angle) to each other; and then one of thepivots connected with the branch frame of the tent poles, the otherconnected with the head end of connection rod. The two connection rodsset up within the two connection sections, and link its two endstogether with a pivot with a position member nearby which make the tworods extend straight firmly locked and yield a function ofreinforcement; therefore the reinforcement device could be opened andfolded concurrently with the extending and folding frame of tent polesto add the solidity of tent.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an option ofreinforcement device, and with a position member at the end of eachconnection rod near pivot. The mechanic of position member could applythe application opinion of elastic pin, V button, Velcro belt, Bucklebelt, casing ring, or U-shaped ring to lock the two connection rodstightly when the two rods stretch straight concurrently with theextending frame of tent poles and truss bar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention being applied on the tent poles;

FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of the embodiment in FIG. 1 inexpanding status;

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of the embodiment in FIG. 1 in foldedstatus;

FIG. 4 is an explosive view of an embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an explosive view of another embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the embodiment in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a further embodiment in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a further embodiment in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the embodiment in FIG. 9 in foldedstatus;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a further embodiment in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the embodiment in FIG. 11 beingapplied on tent poles and truss bar.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an embodiment according to the presentinvention being applied on tent poles and truss bar;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an embodiment according to the presentinvention being applied on another tent poles and truss bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

First of all, referring from FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, the reinforcement device1 of the present invention fixed on the branch frames 3) of a foldingtent comprises two connection section 10 and two connection rods 20which is connected on the opposite requiring reinforcement branch frames31, 32 of tent poles 3. Each connection section 10 comprises two setspivots 11, 12 which cross with each other in wide angle (an obtuseangle) to or perpendicular to each other. The first set of pivot 11connects with one of two opposite branch frames 31, 32 of the tent poles3 whereas the second set of pivot 12 connects with the head end 21 ofthe connection rod 20 so that the two connection rods 20 can be expandedor folded concurrent with the folding as per FIG. 3 and expanding as perFIG. 1 & FIG. 2 with two opposite branch frames 31, 32 of tent poles 3by means of the working of two connection sections 10 and two sets ofpivots 11, 12.

Furthermore, the two connection rods 20 were set between two pivots 10and linked by a pivot 23 at tail end 22 with a position member 24 asshown in FIG. 4. The connection rods 20 could be folded by the pivot 23as per FIG. 3, or stretch straight firmly by the mechanic of positionmember 24 as shown in FIG. 2 & FIG. 5 to reinforce the supportivestrength and area solidity of tent poles 3 after extending.

Further referring from FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, using two L-shaped angle irons13, 14 combines into a united structure with two piece components, andcoupled by one side of L-shaped angle irons 13, 14 into one unit to formthe first pivot 11, while the second pivot 12 sets up at the other sideof L-shaped angle iron 14 and connects with the head end 21 of rod 20,which makes two pivots perpendicular to each other to form a structureof universal joint. When in practical usage, the respective angle iron13 of the two connection sections 10 connect with the opposite branchframes 31, 32 of tent poles 3 by each side of angle iron 13, whereas thesecond pivot 12 connect with head end 21 of rod 20; then by means ofreciprocal adjustment of the two pivots 11, 12 of connection section 10and the pivot 23 of the two connection rods 20 which can stretchstraight or fold concurrently with the opening and folding of branchframes 31, 32. Please also refer to FIG. 11 & FIG. 12, the connectionsection 10 can be changed by a U-shaped angle iron 15 to form a onepiece component structure. The U-shaped angle iron 15 has an wide angleopening with the first and second pivot 11, 12 at each side, and makesthe two pivots cross in an wide angle and form into an universal jointto gain the effects of reinforce device 1.

The position member 24 arranged at the joint of respective end of thetwo connection rods 20 mainly fixes the two rods 20 when stretchstraight with the expanding of the two opposite branch frames 31, 32 toyield an enough supporting force. The structure of the position member24 is optional, it could be elastic pin type shown as per FIG. 4-5 whichis fixed an elastic pin or V button 25 at one end of rod, and anopposite hole 26 at the other end of the rod, when the two rods 20 werestretch straight concurrent with the extending of the two oppositebranch frames 31, 32 of tent poles 3, the elastic pin 25 at the end of arod 20 embed into the opposite hole 26 at the end of another rod 20 tofix the two rods in straight position, while folding the tent poles 3,pull button 25 or press lever button (not shown) to release elastic pin25 from opposite hole 26, and fold the two connection rods concurrentwith the folding of tent poles 3 so as to meet the effect of convenientoperation.

Please also refer to FIG. 6 & FIG. 7, the position member 24 could bebonded by buckle belt. A buckle belt 27 is arranged on the tail end 22of one connection rod 20 or two connection rods 20. Thus when the twoconnection rods 20 stretch into straight and parallel status, fasten thebuckle belt 27 to bind the tail end 22 of the two connection rods 20firmly together and make the two rods in a solid straight status.Moreover, refer to FIG. 8, the position member 24 could be a casingring. A moveable casing ring 28 is disposed on one of the connection rod20 or the two connection rods 20. When the two connection rods 20stretch straight and parallel, move the casing ring 28 toward the arrowdirection to the tail end 22 of the two connection rods 20 so that themovable casing ring 28 firmly fastens the two connection rods 20 at theend and the connection rods 20 are positioned in stretching status.Further refer to FIG. 9 & FIG. 10, the position member 24 could be aU-shaped ring 29 with an opening whose width are two times of thethickness of the connection rod 20. The U-shaped ring 29 is pivoted onthe end of one rod 20 or two rods 20, when the two connection rods 20stretch into straight and parallel status, the U-shaped ring 29 willhook up to the tail end 22 of the two rods 20 and hold the twoconnection rods 20 firmly in straight status at the end.

The present invention of reinforcement device 1 could be installed onthe poles of various kinds of collapsible tents, such as therectangle-type tent poles 3 in FIG. 1, the reinforce device is mountedon the four branch frames 31, 32. Or the Cross-shaped tent poles perFIG. 13, the reinforce device is mounted between two transverse frames41 and the two branch frames 42. Or the X-shaped tent poles in FIG. 5,the reinforce device is mounted between the top frame 51 and four branchframes 42 on four corners. The reinforce device acts synchronously withthe extending and folding of the tent poles 3, 4, 5.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects isnot limited to the specific details, and representative devices shownand described herein.

Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by theappended claims and their equivalents.

1. A reinforcement device of a folding tent disposed on tent polescomprising two connection sections, two connection rods, and a positionmember, wherein: the connection section connected with two oppositebranch frames requiring being reinforcement of tent poles and having twopivots perpendicular to or crossed in an wide angle to each other; onepivot is connected with one of the two opposite branch frames of thetent poles while the other pivot is connected with a head end of theconnection rod; the connection rods disposed between two connectionsections and linking with each other at respective tail end by a pivot,and depended on the pivot, the two rods could be folded into a crosstype, or stretched into a straight type, and a position member is set upat the tail end thereof; the position member set up at the cross end ofthe two connection rods were used to fix the two connection rods firmlywhen the two rods are stretched in parallel; thereby the reinforcedevice is able to stretch or fold synchronously with expanding andfolding of the tent poles, and supporting the two branch frames of tentpoles after being stretched straight.
 2. The reinforce device of afolding tent of claim 1, wherein the connection section having twoL-shaped angle irons which is connected to each other by one side toform into one unit as a pivot, while another pivot is disposed onanother side of the angle iron for connecting with the head end of theconnection rod and the two pivots are perpendicular to each other. 3.The reinforcement device of a folding tent of claim 1, wherein theconnection section is formed by a wide U-shaped angle iron whose twosides are open in a wide angle, and the two pivots are arrangedrespectively on two sides of the angle iron and cross with each other inwide angle.
 4. The reinforce device of a folding tent of claim 1,wherein the position member is an elastic pin that is disposed on one ofthe connection rods and a corresponding hole is arranged at the otherconnection rod so that the elastic pin is mounted into the correspondinghole for positioning the connection rods in straight status when the twoconnection rods expend into straight and parallel status.
 5. Thereinforcement device of a folding tent of claim 1, wherein the positionmember is a buckle belt that is disposed on either connection rod orboth connection rods, and by binding the buckle belt around the tail endof the two connection rods, the two connection rods are positioned instraight status for supporting when the two connection rods expend intoparallel and straight status.
 6. The reinforcement device of a foldingtent of claim 1, wherein the position member is a moveable casing ringstructure that is disposed on either connection rod or both connectionrods, and when the two connection rods stretch into parallel andstraight status, the moveable casing ring is moved to the tail end ofthe two connection rods for holding and positioning the two stretchingrods in a straight status.
 7. The reinforcement device of a folding tentof claim 1, wherein the position member is a U-shaped ring with anopening whose width is double of the connection rod's width; theU-shaped ring is disposed on tail end of either one connection rod orboth connection rods, and is pivoted with the connection rod so as tolock the tail end of the two connection rods, and then position the twoconnection rods in straight status when the two connection rods expendinto parallel and straight status.